Separable ring binder attachment for brief cases and the like



July 1, 1958 L. STEIN 2,341,151

SEPARABLE RING BINDER ATTACHMENT FOR BRIEF CASES AND THE LIKE Filed D80. 6, 1954 22 is; l

.Inren far" 150 STE/N United States Patent 2,841,151 SEPARABLE RING BINDER ATTACHMENT FOR BRIEF CASES AND THE LIKE Leo Stein, Chicago, Ill. Application December 6, 1954, Serial No. 473,077 2 Claims. (Cl. .129--24) The present invention relates to improvements in detachable separablering binders, and more'particularly 'of the type adapted for brief cases, salesmens kits, notebooks," and the like.

Dual purpose use oflbrief cases,-either with a ring binder or metal therein vor without the ring binder therein, is often desirable.

In addition, it -is oftentimes desirable to provide-several separable ring binders or ring metals to carry different categories orsets of pages, or the like, to be mounted interchangeably within a brief case. For salesmen, for example, this is important .since they can thus place into the brief case onlythose pages having the line of merchandise in which a customer may be interested, instead of having to carry in a large, heavy, clumsy case all of the literature and possibly illustrations that' may 'be handled by any particular salesman. Students also find it desirable to have a brief case so organized that only those pages or notes needed for any particular class or project need be carried in the briefcase at any one time, butquickly interchangeable with other sets of .pages as required.

Accordingly, :it is an important object of the present invention to provide an improved separable attachment device for separable ring binders or ring metals and'brief cases.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for detachable mounting of ring metals in brief cases.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mounting means for ring metals enabling sliding mounting or removal thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide -.a separable ring metal supporting device for brief .cases 2 :While thering metal'p'er se is not claimed as inventive herein,aniunderstanding of various features of its con- .structionwill :be desirable. The ring metal shell 15 is :formed from suitable resilient sheet metal which due to .the convex rib-like structure thereof is fairly stiff along which is especially desirable for brief cases equipped with inside portion of the brief case of Fig. 1 showing a ring metal in partially assembled relation thereto;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on the line III-III of Fig. 2;

Figure-4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the separable ring sections closed after the ring metal has been fully assembled with the .base plate member;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially on 'theline V-V of Fig. 4 and showing the end portion of the base plate and the adjacent end portion .of the ring metal in association therewith; and

.Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially on thelineVI-VI of Fig. 2.

By way of example a brief case "10 having similar separable s'ides 1'1 foldable toward one another and connectable in folded relationbya flexible separable connector 12 having hooks or teeth connectable or separable by means of a slider 13'has'been chosen to illustratethe invention. Such a brief case is desirably equipped with a separable ring binder 14 including a 'ring metal 15 of lo d t a sv rse y con e e m- 1 transverse lines :but is resiliently yieldable along longi .tudinal lines. .Atcits longitudinal margins the ring metal shell 15 has underturned convergently oblique flanges -17 providing'opposinglmarginal grooves within which the .outer longitudinal edges of a pair of toggle plates 18 are respectively cooperable, the inner joining longitudinal edges of the toggle platesbeing maintained in .fulcruming relation by upset flanges or ears '19. Secured at their .base ends to the toggle plates .18 are separable ring sections 20 extending up through respective marginal slots 21 in the shell member 15.

By having the combined width of the toggle plates 18 greater than the normal distance between the insides of the marginal grooves of the ring metal shell 15, substantially constant spring ,pressure is applied through the margins of .the ring metal shell to the engaging outer edges of the togglejplates so that when the ring sections 20 are in the'closed condition shown in Fig. 4 with the fulcruming edges of the toggle plates below center the resilient tension afforded by the ring metal keeps the rings closed. Alternatively the ring metal shell through the resiliently tensioned engagement with the toggle plates keeps the ring sections open as shown in Fig. 3 when the meeting fulcrum-edges of the toggle plates are in the above .centerposition.

.To assist-inmoving-the toggle plates 18 from the below center, closed ring position'of Fig. 4 to the above center, open ring position shown in Fig. 3, levering or trigger members 22 are provided at the opposite end portions of the ring metal to extend conveniently from the respective Opposite ends -of the ring metal shell 15, with respective-eared return bent toggle-actuating terminals 23 of thetriggers cooperating through respective clearance slots 24 provided for this purpose in the end portions of the toggle plates. Downward pressure upon the trigger members 22 causes the toggle plates 18 to be snapped-up about their fulcrum edges and the ring sections 20 separated.

.According to the present :invention, novel means are provided for enabling separable mounting of the ring metal 14 in the brief case 10. To this end, an elongated base plate 25 'is suitably attached to the brief case as .bysmeans-of rivets 26 along the longitudinal center of the inside-of the brief case about which the sides or panels '11 of the briefcase are folded. Along each longitudinal margin, the plate 25 is provided with divergently disposed generally oblique longitudinal track flanges 27 slidably engageable between the ring metal flanges 17 and the adjacent outer margins of the toggle plates 18. The width between the edges of the'base plate flanges 27 is slightly less than the widthbetween the bottems of the grooves within the ring metal flanges so that fairly free longitudinal sliding .of the ring metal onto or off of the base or mounting plate 25 maybe effected when the ring sections 20.ar e .in the separated condition of Figs. 2 and 3.

"In the assembled relationship of the ring metal 14 to the retaining or base plate 25, the rail fiauges 27 will, of

7 course, .retain'the ring metal against lateral separation arrangement, whenit is :desired to remove the ring metal the toggle plates 18 are shifted to the open ring position thereof as in Fig. 3 and the ring metal can then be freely slid longitudinally off of the retaining plate 25. Similarly to mount the ring metal within thebrief case, it is slid longitudinally onto the base plate 25 from one end. When the fully assembled relationship has been .attained, the ring sections 20 are pushed together to throw the toggle plates 18 into the closed-ring relationship wherein the side flanges 27 are frictionally gripped for substantially locking or at least restraining longitudinal displacement of the ring metal.

In order to facilitate proper longitudinal registration of the ring metal 14 with the base plate 25 and more especially to assure reasonably true disposition or location of the ring metal 15 longitudinally within the brief case, one end portion of the base plate 25 is preferably provided with stop means to limit axial assembly movement of the ring metal 15 from the opposite end portion of the base plate 25. In one effective arrangement, such stop means are provided in the form of angularly turned respective stop shoulder terminal or extremity cars 28 on the base plate side flanges 27 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6). 'Thus, when the ring metal 14 is slid longitudinally from the opposite end of the base plate 25, engagement of the flanges 17 of the ring metal shell with'the stop ears 28 limits longitudinal assembly movement of the ring metal. In addition, after the ring metal has been substantially locked onto the base plate by closing of the ring sections 20, should there be any tendency of the ring metal to slip longitudinally toward the stop cars 28, this will be prevented by the stop cars.

In order to avoid longitudinal slippage of the'ring metal 14 from the opposite or assembly end of the base plate 25, stop means are preferably provided, such for example as an upraised stop shoulder boss 29' pressed from the base plate 25 to engage within the adjacent clearance slot 24 between the toggle plates, substantially as shown in Fig. 5. The height of the stop shoulder 29 is such that in the above center, open ring position of the toggle plates 18 they will freely clear the stop shoulder. However, in the below center, closed ring position of the toggle plates, the stop shoulder 29 will oppose the end shoulders defining the inside end of the associated slot 24.

To facilitate sliding on or off of thering metal 14 with respect to the assembly end of the base plate 25, and over the adjacent portion of the separable connector 12, a hold-down flange extension 30 is preferably provided on the assembly end of the base plate 25. A downturned distal extremity flange 31 on the hold-down extension flange is arranged to engage against the stringer of the separable fastener outwardly beyond the teeth of the fastener. One of the rivets 26 is preferably provided to secure the hold-down flange 30 against accidental bending out of place. Thus, interference of the adjacent portion of the separable connector 12 with free longitudinal movement of the ring metal 14 as desired is avoided and in assembling the ring metal with the base 25 interengagement of the flanges 17 of the ring metal with the flanges 27 of the base at the entry or assembly end of the base is facilitated.

It may also be noted that the head of the rivet 26 that secures the hold-down flange 30 cooperates in the fully assembled, closed ring condition of the ring metal with the adjacent trigger terminal flange 23 as-an additional stop against longitudinal separating displacement of the ring metal, being thus cooperable in this function with the stop projection 29.

While a brief case has been illustrated as exemplary, it will be appreciated that desirable forms of notebook, or other desirable devices may be equipped with the ring metal supporting. and connecting arrangement of the present invention.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a brief case assembly including a case having foldable sides and a connecting median portion of substantial length, an elongated base plate about as long as said median portion and fixedly secured longitudinally to said median portion and having thin and substantially flat longitudinal marginal flanges that diverge relative to one another and lie in oflset relation to said median portion, a ring metal assembly including an elongated transversely upwardly arched resilient shell about as long as said base plate and provided with underturned longitudinal convergently related marginal flanges defining respective confronting grooves, a pair of complementary elongated toggle plates of substantially the same length as said shell and of a total width slightly greater than the dimension between said grooves and having longitudinal meeting edges in pivotal interengagement with the opposite longitudinal edges thrusting into said grooves, respective matching ring sections carried rigidly by said toggle plates and projecting upwardly through holes in the shell and being openable and closable by movement of the toggle plates pivotally between respective opposite upwardly converging opening and downwardly converging closing over-center positions, and levers connected to the opposite ends of the toggle plates for effecting at least said over-center opening movement, the total width to which said base plate flanges extend being less than said dimension between the grooves but greater than the distance between the edges of said shell flanges, the ring metal assembly being longitudinally slidable onto the base plate from one end thereof by engaging said base plate flanges in said grooves under said toggle plates, the opposite end portions of said base plate flanges having depending lugs engageable with the opposing ends of the shell flanges to predetermined fully assembled substantially coextensive disposition of the ring metal assembly and the base plate, said base plate having struck-up therefrom and facing toward said one end a stop shoulder boss and said toggle plates having a shoulder facing toward said one end and engageable interlockingly with said. shoulder boss in the ring section closing over-center position of the toggle plates to prevent withdrawal of the ring metal assembly and being raised clear of said shoulder boss to permit longitudinal assembly or disassembly movement of the ring metal assembly relative to .the base plate in the opening-over-center position of the toggle plates.

2. A brief case assembly as defined in claim 1 including flexible separable connector means for said foldable sides of the case and with portions thereof adjacent to said one end of said base plate, said base plate having an integral extension from said one end overlying said flexible connector means portions adjacent thereto and secured thereover and providing a guard and ramp-like surface to facilitate leading in of the end of the ring metal shell flanges to receive the base plate flanges in sliding the ring metal assembly into position relative to the base plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,042,625 Watson Oct. 29, 1912 1,042,626 Watson Oct. 29, 1912 1,111,984 Wissler Sept. 29, 1914 1,440,394 Krag Ian. 2, 1923 1,509,815 Dawson Sept. 23, 1924 1,561,891 Trussell Nov. 17, 1925 2,264,142 Penney et al. Nov. 25, 1941 1,325,155 Wedge July 27, 1943 2,502,275 Perlin Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 599,739 France Oct. 26, 1925 

